Veterinary Technician Program
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Orangevale California

Fulfilling your lifelong dream of working with and helping animals by enrolling in a veterinary technician college near Orangevale CA may initially feel like a challenging undertaking. But to be successful as a practicing veterinary technician, you must first locate and ultimately enroll in a school that will provide the necessary training and education. But just how do you approach analyzing and contrasting schools so that you can make the proper choice? When checking out vet tech programs, many potential students start by zeroing in on the ones that are closest to their homes. Once they have located some nearby schools, they find out which ones have the most affordable tuition and focus on those. Although cost and location are significant concerns when evaluating veterinary technician schools, they are by no means the only critical ones when making your evaluations. Internship and job placement programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. The bottom line is that prior to making a selection, you need to carry out your due diligence and compare all pertinent qualifications of the schools you are reviewing. We have furnished several within this article in order to help get you started, but before we discuss them we'll talk about the different duties of veterinary technicians and the training options available.

IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW

Vet Tech Training Options

One of the first decisions that you will need to make is whether you desire to train as a veterinary technician, assistant or technologist. Part of your determination may be dependent on the amount of time and money that you have to commit to your education, but the primary determiner will undoubtedly be which specialization interests you the most. What technicians and assistants have in common is that they all work under the immediate guidance of a practicing and licensed veterinarian. And although there are a number of tasks that they can carry out within the Orangevale CA veterinary practice or hospital, they can't prescribe drugs, diagnose ailments, or carry out surgical procedures. In those areas they can only provide assistance to a licensed veterinarian. There are technicians and technologists that work away from the typical veterinarian practice, for instance for animal shelters, zoos or police departments. Let's take a look at the job functions and training prerequisites for each specialization.

• Vet Assistants in the majority of instances will have undergone a structured training program, either as an apprentice or intern in a vet clinic or hospital, or by graduating from a certificate program at a community college or trade school. As the name implies, their job function is to assist the veterinarians and vet techs in the completion of their duties. Normally they are not involved with more complicated tasks, such as assisting with surgical procedures. Some of their regular responsibilities may include working at the front desk, preparing and cleaning examination rooms and equipment, or handling animals during exams.
• Vet Technicians receive more advanced training compared with assistants and generally obtain a 2 year Associate Degree, preferably from an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited program. They are in a fashion the veterinary counterparts of medical nurses, since their basic job duty is to assist veterinarians with diagnosing and treating animal patients. Where they differ from veterinary assistants is that they are engaged in more complicated activities, for example assisting with surgical procedures or providing medication. All states presently mandate that veterinary technicians pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.
• Vet Technologists are similar to veterinary techs and for the most part carry out the same job functions. They are mandated to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in veterinary technology, which usually requires four years. Therefore the only real difference between a vet technician and a technologist is the technologist's more advanced level of education. But with an advanced degree comes more work opportunities, higher salaries and possible management positions. They are additionally mandated to pass a credentialing examination for either registration, certification or licensing.

Vet technicians and technologists can specialize in areas such as internal medicine, anesthesia or emergency care. A number may acquire certification from the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) to work in  Orangevale CA laboratories or research facilities as well.

Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Programs

By now you probably have decided on which veterinary credential that you would like to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Orangevale CA area as well as across the United States, you must ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have already pointed out other important qualifiers, for example accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to enroll in a college that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are covered in the list of questions that you should ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.

Is the Veterinary School Accredited?  It's essential that you verify that the veterinary technician school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since numerous programs are not available for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Orangevale CA area vet practices and hospitals.

What is the School's Reputation?  The veterinary trade school or college and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include checking with internet school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final pointer, contact some Orangevale CA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you get your training. Ask what they think of your school selections. They may even suggest one or more programs not on your list.

Are Internships Offered?  The most effective approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Find out if the programs you are looking at have internship programs set up with Orangevale CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and a large number provide it by means of internships. Not only will the experience be beneficial relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help establish associations in the local veterinary community and aid in the search for a position after graduation.

Is there a Job Placement Program?  Getting a job after graduating from a vet tech college may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A low rate may suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might mean that the program has an excellent reputation within the Orangevale CA veterinarian community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could mean that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.

How Big are the Classes?  If the classes are bigger, you probably will receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Orangevale CA programs you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between students and instructors. Ask for evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.

Where is the School Located?  Yes, we already covered location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Orangevale CA home, you have to confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the college is located in or near a large city. Also, if you do decide to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes might be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.

Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule?  And last, it's important that you find out if the veterinarian programs you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Orangevale CA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family issues. You might find that an online program is the best solution to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.

Learn More About Becoming a Vet Tech in Orangevale

Enroll in the Right Orangevale Vet Technologist Program

Enrolling in the ideal vet tech college is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career providing treatment and care for pets and livestock. Students considering vet tech schools must make their decision based on multiple key factors. Veterinary technicians and technologists are employed in animal hospitals, veterinary clinics and animal shelters. They usually handle administrative tasks and support the veterinarian with the animal patients when needed. As we have discussed, it's very important that you decide on a veterinary medicine program that is both accredited and has an excellent reputation within the profession. This applies to vet tech online colleges as well. By asking the questions included in our checklist for evaluating schools, you will be able to narrow down your options so that you can make your final decision. And by choosing the right program, you can accomplish your goal of becoming a vet tech in Orangevale California.

 

Orangevale Vet Tech Colleges | Orangevale Veterinary Technician Schools